Childhood obesity is on the rise both within the United States and throughout the world. This condition poses a serious problem not only for the affected children and the adults that the children will become, but for the burden on public health and the healthcare system at large. Obesity is associated with many co-morbidities, including vascular diseases such as hypertension and heart disease, chronic inflammation, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, as well as full blown type 2 diabetes.
In addition to extensive documentation of the association between childhood obesity and poor health outcomes, a number of studies document the positive effects that physical activity has in reducing the risk of poor health outcomes associated with obesity, including reductions in the development of diabetes and heart disease. Physical activity also helps control weight, promotes psychological well-being, and reduces the risk of premature death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that young people engage in at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day to maintain good health.
While the positive effects of regular physical activity are well documented, motivation to maintain adequate levels of activity over the long term is often lacking. Many young people engage in sedentary behaviors (e.g., watching TV, surfing the Internet) and do not meet the CDC recommendations for physical activity. Research has found that physical activity rates decline with age among young people, with overall levels of physical activity typically beginning to decrease when children are of middle school age.
It is recognized that fun, engaging games or related products that require physical activity can be a way to increase physical activity among young people. To succeed in increasing physical activity, games need to appeal to the target population and to fit easily within the existing social, educational, and cultural environment.
Accordingly, there is a need in the commercial and healthcare product markets for smart games and related products that address and counter the growing tendency toward sedentary behaviors and that are directed toward the specific goal of increasing the overall level of physical activity of those who play the game or use the product. To succeed in this goal, products need to be easy to use, and have a quick appeal that can also be sustained over the long term. It is further desirable that such products are safe and require minimal adult supervision. Most of all, the games must be effective at their fundamental goal, which is to increase levels of physical activity.
A number of game systems have been developed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,315, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,930, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,538, and published patent application US 2004/077423. However, none of these systems provide a versatile gaming system which allows players, and particularly children, to interact both during and after play, using remote units that communicate with a game control unit to encourage physical activity. The devices and systems described herein may address the problems described above, including some of the shortcomings of currently available game systems.